Picking Daisies
by Tishie
Summary: Nella thought it was too late for her to have Angelo's heart all to herself, seeing as he would spend so much time with Daisy. What she didn't realize though, was that he wanted her all too much as well. Angelo x Character! R


Fall. Such a beautiful season. I opted to take it easy this year, last year exhausted me to the point that I passed out. All those yams seemed to have wanted me dead for some reason.

The multi-colored leaves began falling, funny how they reminded me of my falling for a certain beret-capped boy who lugs a canvas with him wherever he goes.

I sat down beside a river, trying to shake off the dragonflies that flew around me, as if trying to get me to engage in a game with them. "It's not gonna work" I said out loud, attempting to shoo them off.

"Must get pretty lonely in the farm, that or dragonflies seem to be good conversationalists"

My ear twitched as the turban-clad guy sat beside me, his hand meticulously fixing the specs on the bridge of his nose right after. He looked up towards the sky, and I at him, as a icy gust of wind flew us by. "Who asked you Lloyd?" I scowled, rolling my eyes as I redirected my gaze towards something more pleasing to look at.

"What's wrong, Nella? You're more irritable than usual today"

I squeezed my knees closer to myself. "It's nothing"

"It's about that **artist **guy, isn't it?"

I felt a bitter spark in my chest, cringing at the uncomfortable sensation the word made me feel. "Fine. I saw them together again…"

"Daisy?"

I shrugged. "Yeah, little-miss-sunshine with a goddess-like smile that warms everyone's heart, Daisy"

Lloyd let out a heavy chuckle, raising a hand to his mouth to lessen the noise. "Quite ruthless, are you?"

I sighed. "Listen, you don't know what it's like. You have Sherry, Ivan has Freya, Dirk has his beetles and bugs and what do I have? My sheep?"

Lloyd cleared his throat at the sudden mention of a certain lady's name and fixed his specs again. "I don't see the big deal, you just saw them together… And so what?"

"They ALWAYS do that. In front of his HOUSE! That little tramp always scurries towards the river like some good for nothing-"

"Calm down, Nella. This isn't appealing at all; think of what Angelo would say if he heard you-"

"Well I'm sorry I don't resemble a god-forsaken PRINCESS like every other single girl in this village!" I gripped the browning grass around me, as if trying to hold myself back from jumping straight into the barely-frozen river.

My dear friend suddenly silenced himself and looked at me with deadly serious eyes. The dark, black spikes surrounding his face seemed to emphasize his even darker orbs. Moreover, his spectacles did nothing to hide the intense gaze, as if trying to say _that's enough_.

I calmed myself down, releasing my grip from the green around me, and lowered my head. "I'm sorry. It's just, I really-"

"I know. I am well aware of your feelings and everything."

"It was like no other realization. I've been in love countless of times even before I moved here… But"

"Remind me again, how it happened?" My dearest friend said, as if he knew I wouldn't give him a choice anyway.

"Well, it was a crisp summer day…"

I closed my eyes and transported my mind to that very day. That crisp, summer day of year one. It was sunny, pleasantly windy and seemingly perfect.

As I was about to jump in the water (NOT to commit suicide btw) for a nice little swim, I noticed a boy lounging not too far off. I wrapped myself in a jacket and walked towards him.

"Is that you, Angelo?" I asked, remembering one or two encounters wherein I got to use his name back in Spring. "Aha! Nella, nice to see you so bright and early"

I smiled; he gives off such a nice aura, it's hard not to like him. "Painting again, I see?"

"Well, at least… Trying to" He said, sighing.

"Where's your muse? Gone off somewhere?"

"Maybe she started swimming and floated away… I can't seem to think of anything nice to paint"

"The problem is you're trying to **think **of something to paint. What do you **feel** like painting?"

My probing questions seemed to confound him with even more thoughts. I was never the type to give good advice, actually. "Ehrm, sorry. I probably shouldn't have said anything-"

"No, you're right. Art is a form of expression, which comes from the heart" He closed his eyes and smiled, feeling his canvas with rough, experienced hands. "I think I can paint now-"

I smirked and grabbed his hand. "I think you'll have to wait a little longer"

"Huh, why?" He asked, stumbling as I dragged him away from his spot.

"I need someone to swim with, so remove that shirt already!" I was pulling him down with me, until he shrugged me off. I could've sworn he splattered his face with pink paint, or was he actually blushing?

"Okay okay! I'll swim with you! Just, let me remove my shirt properly" He sighed and did as he said, and then slowly walked into the water.

I looked down and sighed. The thought-bubble popped in a split-second as I felt Lloyd's heavy hand place itself firmly on my shoulder. "I could've sworn you were headed towards the right direction"

I frowned and flopped my hat to cover my eyes. "I thought so too, until Daisy felt the need to _explore the beauties of nature _every afternoon"

"You should've volunteered to be his art subject, really"

"I KNOW! I have no idea what made me hold back!"

"I think I have an idea-" he said, chuckling with no sense of embarrassment whatsoever.

I shrugged as I thought about the old memory. It was about year one as well, as fall was to end. Angelo was commissioned to do a drawing of a pretty girl from the village by a rich patron from the city. He had to hand-pick the lady for the job.

He knocked on every single lady's door to talk with her, save for one.

"Angelo? Is that you?" I cried out to him as he was leaving Freya's house. He seemed startled and nervous suddenly, as he allowed his bangs to cover a good part of his face. "H-hey Nella, I didn't think I would see you here"

I raised a brow and closed our distance as I walked towards him. "You didn't what now?" I said, curiosity building up even more within me. "Whatcha doing leaving Freya's house?"

"W-well, I'm looking for a nice… model, for my new painting"

He looked away as soon as he said his piece. _OH. __**That's**__ why you're ignoring me. You don't want me get interested in modeling for you because I'm not pretty enough to begin with. I see now… Well, let me make it easier for you, jerk._

"You are now, huh? Well how about Daisy, the maid? Maybe she can help you out after dusting off a few tables and cabinets" I said rather sarcastically.

He suddenly jumped up and smiled brightly. "Oh yeah, DAISY! You're a genius, thanks Nella"

Angelo ran as quickly as he could through me. I raised a brow and shrugged. "What the hell did I just do?" I said to myself out loud, smacking my palm against my forehead.

Lloyd took me back to the present as he chuckled at my face, seeming to scrunch up with each passing minute of reminiscing. "Yeah DO tell me; what **were** you thinking?"

I grumbled as I folded my legs towards my torso. "I thought Angelo wouldn't take it seriously and get the hint that I wanted to volunteer"

I looked into the distance, suddenly seeing the both of them in that spot in front of his house again. I suddenly grabbed a rock and threw it across the water. "Whoa there, lassy. You might hit someone"

"I hope I do. I feel like I can chug boulders at the-"

"Look, you haven't even asked the guy if they're dating"

"I don't need to! Look at them; they're practically MARRIED"

"No they aren't. Fine, if you're that disheartened, let ME do it"

He got up faster than I give him credit for. "WAIT!" I yelled, stumbling once, then twice, then thrice before finally being able to stand up. Alas, it was too late though, as Lloyd already began talking to Angelo.

From afar, I can see his adorable face. First smiling with his eyes closed, then he suddenly flashed them open, then he started talking as if the conversation got serious.

I gulped and flopped my hat down onto my eyes again. WHAT could he possibly be saying to Angelo? Curse Lloyd, CURSE HIM! I mentally yelled at myself and at that turban-clad monstrosity.

With what seemed like ten hours, which was actually ten minutes in reality, Lloyd finally came back.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST-"

"Zip it Nella, it was all a big misunderstanding"

I raised my hat, revealing the widest, most puzzled set of eyes anyone can express. "A misunderstanding?"

"You'll have to ask him to find out-"

"HOLD ON; did you tell him I loved him?"

"Uhm, disgusting. No, of course not. I simply asked the guy if he was dating Daisy"

"So… He isn't?"

"You should ask him **yourself**"

"Gee, THANKS for the big favor. I'm going home" Suddenly, as I was about to turn away and run home, a hand grabbed my wrist. "Listen Lloyd, I suggest you should-"

"Nella, can we talk?"

"-Angelo?" I fell into a state of shock, then silence as I calmed my stance. Lloyd chuckled and left us alone, the icy wind blowing even more as he disappeared.

"Nella… You've been avoiding me more and more with every passing season. Why is that?" He asked. I shrugged and chose to avoid his glance.

"Simply because I didn't want to get in your way, Angelo" I said rather coldly.

"Get in the way of what, my painting? You never did! …Okay, once, but that swim was really refreshing-"

"Of your LOVE LIFE, you nitwit!"

"My… My love life! You mean, you thought I liked Daisy?"

"Uhm, you've only been spending time with her outside your home for the past, I don't know… Every Mondays and Tuesdays for the passed four seasons or so!"

He turned bright red and fiddled with his vest. "It's not what it looks like, let me explain!"

"Save it, just leave me alone"

"Look Nella. A rich patron told me he wanted to paint a pretty girl from the village remember?"

"Yeah, about that too. I'm SORRY for not being good enough for your painting that time! Maybe that's why you dated someone else-"

"Well he didn't ask me to paint just _any_ other girl. But he wanted me to paint a girl he would find suitable as his wife."

"I didn't think I was THAT ugly and… wait, what now?"

"That's why I had to talk to every single lady privately, because I had to ask them if they were interested in getting married to him"

"…" We both fell into a deep silence. He finally let go of my arm and I looked down. He could've just TOLD me! Now I feel utterly stupid for avoiding him all this time.

"So… It wasn't because you thought I was ugly?"

He shook his head.

"And you've been talking to Daisy because…?"

"My patron can't leave his house you see, for he is too frail. So, he gives me messages I pass onto Daisy for him. They'll be getting married next Spring…"

So THAT'S why she looked so happy every time they're together!

"Oh. Ahahaha, boy do I feel stupid!" I could've sworn my face was beet red, as I scratched my head and cleared my throat after. "Well I guess I should apologize"

"No, I should've told you. I'm sorry for being so secretive"

"Why didn't you ask me to model for the guy, anyway?" I smirked. "I wouldn't mind being wed to a rich city-slicker"

He widened his eyes and stepped back as I said that. "R-really?"

"Just joking. That's really gross"

Angelo let out a soft chuckle, before sitting down. I followed.

"That's good to hear. Actually, it was more of my fault. I didn't even **think** of suggesting it to you from the start"

"Why is that?"

He turned bright red, gritted his teeth, then grabbed me by my shoulders swiftly.

"Because, I wanted you all for myself!" He screamed, almost seemingly in pain.

My heart raced as I tumbled down slightly, his fragile body on top of mine. My blonde locks scattered all over the grass, and my hat was no where to be found as it flew away from my head.

"S-since when?" I managed to say, looking away as blood rushed to my face.

"Since you asked me to go for a swim with you back in Spring…"

My eyes widened as my eyes darted towards him, realizing we had felt the same way for each other all along. "M-me too…" I said, losing almost all consciousness I felt a pair of soft lips touch mine.

His hands felt so warm as he firmly held my wrists, as if afraid of my getting up from our place. I didn't resist, letting his tongue explore every corner of my mouth freely. Wow, he isn't _just _an artist on the canvas now, is he?

I felt my heart thump even louder, as my body grew hot. "Mph- Angelo!" I cried out, as he raised his head away from me, his mouth wide with his panting heavily.

"I'm sorry, I've gone too far-"

I sighed and cupped my hand around his warm cheek. "It's ok, I've been wanting to do that with you for a while, actually" I said, looking away rather flushed.

He chuckled and gently got off of me, assisting me right after. "I didn't know I had it in me"

I smirked and pounced on him, his own hat flying away this time. "Me neither-" I said, as I closed our distance again, this time, with our lips matching perfectly together.


End file.
